Desk top



R. K. MERRILL Jan. 5, 1932.

DESK TOP Filed Oct. 5. 1929 I N VEN TOR:

'WiTnessa- A TTORNEYJ- Patented Jan. 5, 1932 UNITED 'isT TEs PATENT OFFICE RALPH K. MERRILL, F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGN OR TO AMERICAN SEATING 7 COMPANY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY DESK TOP Application filed October 5, 1929. Serial No. 397,494.

The present invention relates to desk tops, particularly such as are usedin schools; and its object is, generally, to provide an improved structure of that character; and more particularly to provide in such a structure an improved lid portion which may be opened to afford access to the box or container thereunder and may also'be raisedto, and supported in, an inclined position wherein it forms a support for books and the like; and further, to provide improved constructional features in such a structure.

. This and any other and more specific objects hereinafter appearing are attained by,

and the invention finds preferable embodiment in, the desk top structure hereinafter particularly described in the body of this specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which: v

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical medial sectional view of a box top of a desk showing the closure or lid portion raised to open position to afford access to the box or container beneath; c

Figure 2 is a front view of the left hand endportion thereof, said box being sectioned longitudinally vertically on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional View of certain parts taken on. line 3'3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical medial sectional view of said structure showing the lid portion raised to book-supporting position; and

Figure 5 is a sectional View of certain parts taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

The box 'top for a school desk illustrated by these drawings is supported by suitable legs (not shown) and com'prise'sa box or, re-

' ceptacle 1 having a front wall 2, rear wall 3, end walls and bottom-all-of any usual form and constructionand a cover or top which comprises a stationary front portion 4 in fixed relation with said front wall and a movable closure or lid portion 5. These cover portions are connected by hinges, one of whose leaves 6 is fastened to the stationary portion 4, the other leaf 7 extending rearwardly toward the rear wall 8. An elongated element 8 has flanges 9 secured as by screws 10 to the under side of the lid portion 5 and extends transversely thereof; a second elongated element 11 bears slidably in element 8 and is pivotally connected at its rear end at 12 to the rear end of the secondmcntioned leaf 7 of the hinge. A link 13 is pivotally connected at one end at lto the forward end of the second-mentioned leaf 7 and at its other end is connected at 15 medially of the lid portion, i. e. medially of the element 8.

These partsthe said elements 8 and 11, the leaf 7 of the hinge, and the link 13-are hollow, having vertical flanges and are folded together into compact flat form in the shut down position of the lid portion 5 and as. shown in Figure 3. A coiled expansion spring 16 inside the hollow elements 8 and 11 and pressing against abutments 17, 18 thereof urges these elements longitudinally apart to the position seen in Figure 4.

When the lid portion 5 is lowered into shut down position on the box or receptacle 1, thus closing the same, its front edge 19 is in abutting relation with the rear edge 20 of the stationary portion 4 of the top, and is releasably engaged therewith by a springpressed ball latch 21. In this shutdown position of the lid portion 5, its rear edge portion and the leaf 7 are supported on an elastic member 22 carried inside the box by the bentover lip 23 of therear wall 3. Secured to the under side of the lid near its forward position is a segment 24 bearing on a friction element in a casing 25, carried by the boxs end wall, to frictionally hold the lid portion in raised position shown in Figure 1.

The structure has the following usesand operation: In the shut down position of the lid portion 5 shown in dotted lines in Figure 1,'it covers and conceals papers, books and other articles contained in the box 1 and the upper surface of the lid portion provides a table surface for writing, etc. When it is desired to gain access to the box to remove or insert articles thereinto, the lid port-ion is raised to the position shown in solid lines in said View, the leaf 7 in this movement being carried with the lid portion. When it is dein which the upwardly carried link 13 sup ports it as a strut. The movable ledge 26 may be slid along its inclined slots 247 to raised position to supportthe book's, 'p'apers, etc, on the inclined lid portion 5. p

The invention being intendedto be pointed out inf'the claims, is not to belimitedt'o or by details of construction of'the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the draw (ill ings or hereinbe'fore described.

Iclaim:

1. In a desktop: a stationary front portion;an1o'vable lid portion; a hinge com-- prising a leaf secured "to the "front portion and 'a'jrearwardly extending leaf; an felongatedelement secured to the under side of the lid portion and extending forwardly p rearwardlyith'ereof an elongated element in slitlably "bearing relation to the first-mentioned element 'an'd pivotally connected at its reanend to the rearend of the second-mentionedleaf; 'a link pivotallyconnefcted to the 7 forward end of the second-mentioned leaf and'tothe'lid portion.

'2. "In a desktop: a stationary' front por tion; a movable lidportion; a hinge comprising a leaf secured to the front portion anda rearwardly extending leaf; an elongated element-secured to the under side'of the lid portion and extending forwardlyr'ear'wardly thereof; an elongated element in s'lida'bly *bearin'g relation to the *first-mention'ed element and pivotally fconnect'ed "at its "rear endfto'the rear endof thes'econdmentioned leaf; a link pivotally connected to'theforwa'rd end'of the second me'nti'oned leafa'nd to the lid portion; an expansion spring urging said elements longitudinally apart.

'3. In a desk top: a stationary front portion; a movable lid portion abutting in'i'ts shutdown position on said front portion; a hinge comprising a leaf secured to "the front portionanda'rearwardly extending leaf; an elongatedelementsecured to the under *side of the lid portion and extending forwardlyrearw'ardly thereof; an elongated'elem'ent in s'lidably bearing relation to the first-mentionedelement and pivotally connected at its rear end to the rear end of the second-mentioned leaf; a link pivotally connected to the forward end of the second-mentioned leaf andto the lid portion.

In'a'desk top: a stationary front portion; a movable lid portion releas'ably engaging in its shut down position said front portion; a hinge comprising a leaf secured to the front'portion and a rearwardly extending leaf; an elongated element secured to the under side of the lid portion and extending forwardly-rearwardly thereof; an elongated element in slidably bearing relation to the 'first inentioned element and piVota-lly connected-at its rear end totherear end of the second-mentioned-"leaf; a link pivotally connected to the forward end of the secondm'entioned leaf and to the lid portion.

5. In a desk top: a stationary front portion amovable lid portion a hinge comprismentand pivotally "connected'at itsrear end to'therea'r' end ofthe 'second-mentionedleaf a link' pivoted 'tothe forward -end ofthe second nie'ntioned' leaf and to the first-mentioned'element medially thereof; a spring in said elements urging the same longitudinally a art.

6. In a desk top a stationary fro'nt portion ;"amovable lid por"tion a'hinge'jc'omprising a leaf secured to the front portion-and a rearwa-rdly extending leaf anelongatedhol- 1ow=e1ement"-secured to the underside o'f the lid portion and "extending "forwardly-rearwardly thereof an elongated hollow element slidably bearing inthe first-mentioned element and pivotally connected'at'its'rear end to'ther'ear 'end of the second mentionedleaf; a link'pivo'ted to the forward end of the secend-mentioned leaf and to the first-men'- tioned element inedi'ally thereof, the firstmentioned element, the link and the secondmentioned leaf being "folded together into flat form in the shut down position of the lid portion.

7. In a'deskfop astationa'ry front'portion; a movable lid portion; a hinge comprising aleaf 'secured' to the front portion and a rearwardly extendingleaf;- an elongated hot low'element-secured to the 'nnder side'of the lid portion and extending forwardly-rearw'ardly thereof an elongated hollow element slidably bearing in the first-mentioned elementan'd pivotally'connected at its rearend to' the 'rea'r='end"0f'thesecond-mentioned leaf a'link pivoted-to the forward end of the second-mentioned leaf and to the first-mentioned element medially thereof, the linkhaving late'ral flanges receivingthe 'first mentioned element and "the second-mentioned leaf having lateral flanges receiving the link in the shut down position ofthe-lid portion.

8. In a-desik top a stationary front portion a'm'ovable 'lidpor'tion a hinge comprising a leaf secured to thefrontpo'rtion'and a rearwardly extending'leaf;'an elongated hollot low element secured to the under side of the lid portion and extending forwardly-rearwardly thereof; an elongated hollow element I slidably bearing in the first-mentioned element and pivotally connected at its rear end to the rear end of the second-mentioned leaf; a link pivoted to the forward end of the second-mentioned leaf and to the first-mentioned element medially thereof, the firstinentioned element, the link and the secondmentioned leaf being folded together into flat form in the shut down position of the lid portion; a spring urging said elements longitudinally apart.

9. In a structure of the character described: an open-top box; a closure therefor; a hinge comprising a leaf in fixed relation with the front end of the box and a rearwardly extending leaf; an elongated element slidable forwardly-rearwardly on the closure, said element being pivotally connected at its rear end to the rear end of the second-mentioned lea-f.

10. In a structure of the character described: an open-top box; a closure therefor; a hinge comprising a leaf in fixed relation with the front end of the box and a rearwardly extending leaf; an elongated element slidable forWardly-rearwardly on the closure, said element being pivotally connected at its rear end to the rear end of the second-men tioned leaf; an expansion spring between a. member carried by the closure and said ele-- ment pressing said element rearwardly.

11. In a structure of the character de-- scribed: an open-top box; a closure therefor; a hinge comprising a leaf in fixed relation with the front end of the box and a rearwardly extending leaf; an elongated element slidable forwardly-rearwardly on the closure, said elementbeing pivotally connected at its rear end to the rear end of the second-mentioned leaf; an expansion spring between a member carried by the closure and said element pressing said element rearwardly; a strut pivoted to the closure member and the second-mentioned leaf. 7

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 2nd day of October, 1929. p

RALPH K. MERRILL. 

